Meaning & use
oval
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Having a rounded, elongated shape like an egg.
Grammar: Used before a noun to describe shape, as in an oval table; it can also be used after a linking verb: the table is oval.
Patterns
- oval shape
- oval face
- oval table
She has a beautiful oval face.
The oval mirror hung above the sink.
The stadium has an oval track.
nouncountable
A shape that is rounded and longer than a circle, like an egg.
Grammar: Countable: one oval, two ovals.
Patterns
- an oval
- draw an oval
The children drew an oval on the paper.
The pool is shaped like an oval.
He cut the dough into ovals.
Common combinations
- oval shape
- The oval shape of the room made it feel cozy.
- oval face
- Her oval face framed by dark hair.
- oval office
- The president addressed the nation from the Oval Office.
- oval track
- The runners raced around the oval track.
Synonyms and how they differ
- elliptical
- Elliptical is a more technical term for a shape that is like a flattened circle; oval is the everyday word.
- egg-shaped
- Egg-shaped is a descriptive compound; oval is more general and can describe a wider range of rounded shapes.
Opposites
Word family
- ovally adverb
- In an oval manner; rarely used.
Commonly confused: oval or oral?
oval vs oral
Oral means spoken or relating to the mouth; oval means egg-shaped. They sound similar but are very different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'oval' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Oval' is an adjective that can follow a linking verb like 'is': the table is oval. 'An oval' is a noun, so 'the table is an oval' would mean the table itself is a shape, which is less natural. 'Oval shape' needs a determiner: an oval shape.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oval”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.